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Viggo Mortensen has apologised after facing backlash for using a racial slur.

The Lord Of The Rings star used the N-word during a press conference to promote his new movie and was immediately slammed by a woman sitting in the audience.

During a conference at the Arclight Hollywood in Los Angeles, following a screening of movie Green Book, the actor spoke about racial progression in America while seated next to co-star Mahershala Ali.

During this conversation, he used the offensive word to demonstrate the difference between America’s Civil Rights Movement and present times.

Viggo and Mahershala Ali are starring in the movie together (Picture: Getty Images)

He said: ‘For instance, no one says n***** anymore.’

The moment was picked up by Hollywood director Dick Schulz, who was in attendance and tweeted: ‘Was at a screening for #GreenBook—the movie is amazing, but at the Q&A after Viggo Mortensen just dropped the N-Word and the oxygen immediately left the room. #movies’

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In another tweet, he added: ‘Viggo is wildly talented but that kind of behavior needs to be publicly checked.’

The star has since apologised for using the vulgar word, saying in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: ‘In making the point that many people casually used the “N” word at the time in which the movie’s story takes place, in 1962, I used the full word.’

Was at a screening for #GreenBook—the movie is amazing, but at the Q&A after Viggo Mortensen just dropped the N Word and the oxygen immediately left the room. #movies

The 60-year-old explained his goal behind using the term and said: ‘Although my intention was to speak strongly against racism, I have no right to even imagine the hurt that is caused by hearing that word in any context, especially from a white man.

‘I do not use the word in private or in public. I am very sorry that I did use the full word last night, and will not utter it again.’

He continued: ‘One of the reasons I accepted the challenge of working on Peter Farrelly’s movie Green Book was to expose ignorance and prejudice, in the hope that our movie’s story might help in some way to change people’s views and feelings regarding racial issues.

‘It is a beautiful, profound movie story that I am very proud to be a part of.’

Speaking to the publication Shulz further described how a woman in the audience shouted at him for the instance.

Shulz said: ’A woman shouted back at him, “Don’t say that,” immediately after he said it.’

Mortensen, who is known to be an outspoken liberal activist, has received two best actor Oscar nominations for his roles in Eastern Promises and Captain Fantastic.

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